DailyPost 2333
ELECTION QUICK RESPONSE TEAMS (EQRT)
Delineating elections form the democratic ethos and values and making it totally unconnected to the governance of this country is the unenvious distinction of India’s democracy. The gap has kept on rising with every successive election and government. Elections have in way have become standalone events, even though it happens to the political fulcrum around which the activities of governments and political parties revolve. People are out of this landscape and their interface happens only during elections on a very clear-cut interface made, known to both the parties and perfected over time. Physical franchise is the only connect Indian masses have with the universal suffrage based Indian democracy.
Be as it may, the election mandate, is treated as a seal to provide legitimacy to whatever a government does and by extension what the ruling party does. In a way democratic mandate is nobody’s business, from steam rolling the bureaucracy to witch-hunting of the most nefarious levels are all legalized. When there are no morals attached to anything, the worst would certainly get manifested, with the event that provides access to power. If access to power is power itself, then election is the most powerful too. And so, it is. For this reason, parties have perfected Political Quick Response Teams (QRT) fully trained and with complete expertise to make the best out of elections.
QRTs have been used for law-and-order situations, VVIP security, natural disasters, industrial disasters etc. Elections in the politico democratic scenario falls in that category. It is a do or die situation. QRTs are well trained, have expertise and precision, ready to take any challenge and deliver. The political variant of it can be called professional political dare devilry. The QRT machine is getting perfected. Some are very famous. West Bengal was known to have one. Few parties are declared to be veritable election machines, an euphemism for Political QRTs. With the unending series of elections at different levels; the opportunities of learning, practicing and perfecting are enormous.
From strategy to booth management are all a part of the QRT Package. The pre-first movers starts operating even before the election is announced, to influencing voters from different geographical locations on the election day, are all a part of the Election QRT. Election QRTs have their own skills, processes and funding and a never say never die approach. Given the nature of India elections, compared to what we see as the election world on the top there is a bigger, messier and murkier world below. QRTs have perfected every nuance of the election animal. The battle is between different Political QRTs and their grandmasters. The new age political strategists with the blitzkrieg social media machines have also jumped on to this bandwagon. Elections have moved on to a different mode.
WHAT A TRAGEDY; ELECTIONS HAVE FOR LONG BEEN DISASSOCIATED FROM GOVERNANCE, PEOPLE’S WELFARE, ECONOMIC GROWTH, NATIONAL SECURITY AND DIPLOMACY.
Sanjay Sahay